AEG AG71A Review

What Is the AEG AG71a RapidClean?

Most of us have been lured into purchasing a handheld hoover at one point in our lives, with the hope and expectation that it would perform phenomenally for small tasks. Whether these tasks included vacuuming up hair and dust from our keyboards, animal fur on the sofa, or various small messes such as spilt coffee grinds, cereal and cat litter. However, most of the time these machines have been horribly inadequate and ended up becoming nothing more than expensive paperweights.

Luckily, with advances in technology, there is now a myriad of corded and cordless handheld vacuum cleaners that work as advertised. One corded handheld hoover that can make your life easier is the AG71a RapidClean handheld from AEG. It’s a powerful bagless, mains operated hoover that is largely marketed as the perfect machine to clean stairs, as well as upholstery in your home and vehicle.

We’ve purchased one and put together this AEG RapidClean review so you can better understand it’s capabilities, strengths and shortcomings.

Pros

Powerful – You don’t need to worry about battery life or limited suction as this handheld is mains operated.

Built-in Hose – In addition to a practical sized motorized brush roll, it also contains a stretchable hose with a crevice tool for difficult areas.

Bagless – Contains a 0.6-litre dirt container which is easy to empty.

Two Modes – You have the option to only use suction, or suction along with the motorized brush roll.

Cons

Corded – Unlike most handhelds this model has a cord which makes it slightly less practical. However, the cord is 6 meters long so you won’t need to change outlets often or have difficulty reaching your car.

AEG AG71a RapidClean Key Features

700 Watt Motor – The AG71a handheld uses a powerful 700-watt motor and a cyclonic action which means that it cleans far better than most of its competitors.

Stubborn Brush – In addition to the motorized roller brush which can be turned off, the RapidClean has a stubborn brush on the head that can be flipped down. This is best used to clean carpeting and upholstery with embedded hair, dirt or food.

Convenient Cleaning – The RapidClean handheld hoover contains a stretchable hose and a storage compartment for the crevice tool. This makes it practical to clean with as you can quickly switch from using the main head to the hose and back again when needed.

Design & Accessories

First impressions when removing the AEG AG71a RapidClean handheld from the box is that it’s a robust machine that’s built to last. It’s larger and heavier than your typical handheld, and comes in a tasteful black and red, with a light grey stretchable hose and clear dirt receptacle. It’s very simple to use with no assembly required. The 6-meter electrical cord wraps around the base when not in use, and it has a power button that can change modes when pushed forward, and release the dirt/filter container when pulled back.

There is also a plastic tab on the side to flip down and click the stubborn rigid brush into position when needed. The motorized brush, by comparison, has softer bristles so it’s less likely to damage the fabric. However, it isn’t designed to be removed which can make cleaning it a challenge when it becomes clogged. It’s fairly easy to access it though so this is not a big let-down.

The stretchable hose that is wrapped around the machine fits into a port and actually provides the main suction to the cleaning head. The hose is easy to pull out from the port and use, and while it isn’t very long, it’s suitable for the tasks it was designed to tackle. The RapidClean also comes with a crevice tool which clicks into place in a compartment under the hoover so you don’t have to worry about it falling out while you’re vacuuming your home or vehicle.

In terms of ergonomics, the handle is comfortable and despite its size (180mm x 200mm x 400mm), it’s not overly cumbersome to use. It also has two wheels towards the front which helps it to move along. The dirt receptacle is easy to remove and empty, but you will need to remove the micro fibre filter from the container before you do so. It’s a good idea to also brush or tap the filter when doing this. When reassembling you have you have to make sure that the filter is seated correctly into the receptacle so the seal is intact and doesn’t negatively affect the suction.

Performance

The AEG AG71a RapidClean is an impressive handheld vacuum cleaner that does exactly what is was designed to do. The size of the cleaning head is almost perfect for stairs and means that furniture can be done quicker than when using a hoover with an upholstery attachment (depending on the size but most attachments are very small). The hose is easy to pull out and use the crevice tool for getting into stair corners or between cushions.

When cleaning your car you may find that you’ll use the hose more often, but it’s well suited and doesn’t have a problem picking up sand, mud, hair and other debris. For more delicate upholstery it’s handy to have the suction only mode in the event you’re worried about the motorized brush damaging fibres. However, as mentioned, the bristles are soft so the likelihood of it causing any wear is slim.

It also works equally well on hard flooring with the stubborn brush flipped into position. It has no qualms picking up various food items though larger particles like oats or the like may require a second passing. One small issue that you will notice is that the air expelled from the exhaust vent can move some dirt around as you vacuum. On this latter note, the hoover is quite noisy which usually isn’t the case with cordless models.

Many people with animals are always concerned about choosing the wrong hoover, but the RapidClean does a good job picking up both short and long fur. The stubborn brush with firm bristles does a good job of picking up the hair on furniture that hair is prone to stick to. You will find though that if it’s moulting season then you’ll need to empty the dirt receptacle more often though this is easy to do.

Lastly, the cord isn’t the most practical (especially since it’s a handheld), but of course, this is the trade-off for not having to worry about the battery dying half way through cleaning, or not having enough power to get the job done.

Price

The AEG AG71a RapidClean is a very affordable handheld hoover at less than £50 and you’ll find it often has more power than other corded and cordless models that are higher priced. It’s also backed by a two-year warranty, though it’s important you register with AEG after purchasing as this usually isn’t available through the retailer.

Verdict

Overall, the RapidClean is a dependable, powerful machine that delivers at a price that won’t make your partner gasp. However, it does have its limitations. It won’t do your whole house unless you like to crawl around on your hands and knees, and isn’t the most practical for quick messes due to the fact that it has a cord. However, if you’re looking for a compact but sturdy hoover for your stairs, upholstery or even to just keep in the garage for exclusive car use, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one better.

Having gone through the rigmarole of choosing and purchasing a vacuum cleaner, Will knows best the absolutely horrendous journey of a vacuum cleaner consumer. He now focuses his time and attention on helping you find the perfect vacuum cleaner for your needs.

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